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Mortal Engines (December 22, 2018)

Thursday, 12 November 2015

Supernatural: Fan Fiction

I doubt Buffy The Vampire Slayer was the first genre show to do a musical episode, but Once More, With Feeling set the bar so high that I'm always a little cautious now when I hear of other shows using the same gimmick.

Given the lackluster nature of Supernatural this season, I was doubly worried, but now I have to wonder if the first episodes of Season Ten were simply filler to get the Winchesters to this point (and their 200th episode!)

Dean is itching for a case and persuades Sam that they should investigate a missing drama teacher from a nearby girls' school.

Much to their surprise - and horror - the school is doing a musical interpretation the Supernatural novels of Carver Edlund (aka Chuck the original prophet).

Written and directed by superfan Marie (Katie Sarife), as well as injecting songs into their life, the play takes a lot of liberties with the Winchesters' story.

Marie wanted to continue the Winchesters' story after Chuck's novels stopped with Swan Song. Her 'fan fiction' version includes robots and tentacles in space!

The play has, however, attracted the attention of a supernatural entity that, for its own reasons, is determined that the show must go on. This powerful being is abducting anyone who tries to bring the show to a close before Marie has a chance to fully realise her vision.
Fan Fiction is not only hilarious - particularly for those of us who've been with Supernatural for the previous 199 episodes - but a loving nod to show's fandom.

Subversive, meta, knowing, Robbie Thompson's script is a gem.

It may lack the catchy tunes of Once More, With Feeling (although the musical exorcism stands out, as does the 'cover' of Carry On My Wayward Son, which you can hear above), but as with the Buffy musical, Fan Fiction is not only a brilliant episode in its own right but moves the main storyline of the show along as well, reminding the brothers that they work better together.

Let's hope this marks an upswing in the quality of the storylines and the rest of Season Ten is as good as Fan Fiction.